Cody Updates by Mom

I apologize for the radio silence the last couple days.  This is actually the first time I have sat down at the computer since I got home.  Weird.  I have spent a fair amount of time adjusting my medication schedule to manage the pain that I will have over these few days.  I am also adjusting to my new nursing staff which is wonderful as they do not wake me up in the middle of the night for random vitals however they seem to think they have to work and go to school and robotics.  😉

I am doing ok.  Still pretty tired and relying on the heavy meds to keep the pain at bay.  Basically my esophagus and my small intestine are both fairly swollen from the surgery.  This is normal and I can testify to the truth of this.  When the pain is there it radiates around where these two have been joined together.  If I have a problem that is where it is going to be.  My abdomen is still swollen quite a bit but doesn’t really hurt.  The stitches, medical tape, bruises and the hole from the drain they removed make me look like a demented version of battleship was played on my mid section.  At least I won.  🙂  Trust me, it’s better than the big ole huge scar down the middle, lots more pain and more recovery.  As I work to assimilate these new scars into the new me I am reminded of how much things have changed.  It is a humbling place to be.  On a side note, the hole left by the drain tube creeps me out.  Jim too.  It’s not pretty.

So far, since prior to surgery, I have lost nine pounds.  Some of this is due to the weight of the actual items they removed but I can see a bit of thinning in my face.  I have not lost any more since coming home but it has only been a couple days.

My diet is going fairly well.  Actually, my diet is going way better then expected!  I am still on a pureed diet for this week and into next week too.  First of all, I want to thank Jim for getting some meals prepared for me prior to me coming home.  Jim and Cody went shopping and got me lots of different kinds of things to try and get our new Ninja working to have meals that I do not have to think about.  I have a container each of pureed turkey and beef.  This is nice because I can add a sauce to the meat and have a different flavor.  I have a feeling that sauces will be very important over the next six weeks that I am home.  I have completed the milk test and my system did just fine with dairy.  This is wonderful as I love milk and would have been pretty sad about that.  Breakfast foods have been the hardest as my doctor is not recommending bread items for a few weeks.  I also cannot have a lot of sugar in my diet unless it is natural from the fruit or whatever I am eating.  We are learning a lot about sugars and reading up on what products have the best “no sugar added” or low sugar.  I don’t need low fat but they seem to run hand in had most of the time.

It is extremely important that I keep myself hydrated.  They recommend only having a 1/2 cup of fluid during eating.  This is so the fluid doesn’t wash the food into my system faster than necessary.  15-30 minutes prior to and after eating they do not want me to drink.  All other times in between they want me to drink steadily but not in a rush.  This part of the diet is a permanent addition.  They do not want me to only drink water (no calories) so they are recommending fruit juices.  So far Apple and Cranberry work.  In the hospital I had a lot of apple juice.  Looking forward to new options shortly.

Last night I learned a very important lesson.  No melted mozzarella cheese.  I forgot that this cheese blend we have has mozzarella in it.  Last night I made loaded mashed potatoes.  I put the beef on instead of bacon and at the last minute thought, hey, cheese!  Well, the stringy stuff kind of stuck all together.  I spent a good couple hours in pain.  Finally, when I took my next pill for something I very painfully felt the pill and cheese goo make it the rest of the way down the esophagus and finally got relief.  No stringy cheese yet.

The only other problem I have really been working through is the back pain.  My doctor says this will get better but spending 10 hours on an OR table will not do anyone’s back any good.  Since I have arthritis in my spine already the pain has been amplified.  Don’t worry, it’s not so bad that it is a huge deal, its just there.

They said I should keep the heavy pain meds constant for 3 days or so.  Then I can start weaning off of them and move to just Tylenol.  Once I am there, I can drive again.  Feeling how fairly sore I am I do not think I will be going out for a drive.  I will likely have my nurses take me wherever I need to go.

That’s my cue.  🙂  Once Jim is done working we are going to go to the store and get some more sauces and food for me.  Eventually he has to go back to work for real.  For those of you that know me very well you will understand that things have changed with this next statement.  I will be headed to the store in sleep pants (can’t wear anything else yet) and no makeup or jewelry.  It’s not going to be a “seen at Walmart picture” but not me in any way, shape or form.  I also need to walk and pacing the house makes Jim nervous.  🙂

Thank you again for the prayers.  I am doing well, healing and happy to be home.

Caring Bridge Comments

Anne Fairchild|Feb 5, 2015 10:59pm
Melanie! You are healing with humor! Not always easy to do! But you are making me smile. You are progressing in such a positive light…so glad things are going well. Wish I could take some pain from you. Let me know when you need an outing or a visitor. From my couch to yours. Anne